Flexible alignment drive



June 5, 1951 j, p, KQL 2,555,414

FLEXIBLE." ALIGNMENT DRIVE June 5, 1951 J, p, KOLB 2,555,414

FLEXIBLE ALIGNMENT DRIVE f Fiied April 2, 1947 4 l s sheets-sheet 2 o 2 4 INVENTOR P kul d/ June 5, 1951 J. P. KoLB 2,555,414

FLEXIBLE ALIGNMENT DRIVE Filed April 2, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Patented June 5, 1951 FLEXIBLE ALIGNMENT DRIVE John P. Kolb, New York, N. Y., assignor to General American Transportation Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New York Application April 2, 1947, Serial N0. 739,010

7 Claims.

This invention relates to exible drive couplings and particularly to flexible drive couplings which permit the driving, with a minimum loss of power and with a minimum of lateral thrust, of a driven part, the axis of which is slightly eccentric to or even slightly inclined to the driving member. More particularly the invention relates to driving mechanism for use in driving the rake or scraper carrying arms of sedimentation apparatus of the type commonly known as thickeners or clarifiers in which the arms which eiiect the gradual movement of the solids toward the central discharge part of the thickener are carried by a drum or cage arranged to have both rotary and axial movements imparted thereto by mechanism located at the center of the apparatus.

In driving the drum on which the'blade or rake-carrying arms are mounted in sedimentation apparatus of the type shown in the co-pending application of Roman Chelminski et al., Serial No. 588,278, filed April 14, 1945, provision must be made in the driving connections between the reduction gearing and the arm-carrying drum for axial movement of the `drum both to relieve overf loads and to return to normal position after the relief of the overload has been effected, without interrupting the rotation of the arms. Provision must also be made in the connections for slight eccentricities of the drum axis in respect to the axis of the driving gear.

One of the objects of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a flexible drive coupling between the drum and the reduction gearing from the source of power which is particularly adaptable for use with sedimentation apparatus of the general type above referred to and which will permit continued driving without substantial loss of power or substantial lateral thrusts on the drum or driving gear, even when the axis of the driving gear and the axis of the drum are slightly eccentric or even when they are at slight angles to each other.

Another object of the invention is the provision of rolling contact between the drum and the driving gear, in driving mechanism of the type above referred to, such that, when axial relative movement of the drum and driving gear take place, particularly when this movement takes place under extremely heavy torque loads, there will be no excessive end thrusts on either the drum or the driving gear.

Another object of the invention is to insure adequate lubrication of the parts of the flexible drive coupling through which power is transmitted from the driving source to the driven parts,

To this end an important feature of the invention is the arrangement of the relatively movable parts of the flexible drive coupling in such manner that they lie between horizontal planes, whereby the engaging parts of the elements of the coupling may have their engaging surfaces immersed in oil baths maintained in recesses in the upper faces of the lower elements.

Another important feature of the invention is the provision of a flexible drive coupling which is so constructed that the driving power may be transmitted to one of the relatively movable parts of the coupling through an internal annular gear, this feature of the construction also permitting the location of a substantial part of the reduction gearing within the flexible drive coupling.

`Still another important feature of the invention is the provision of a flexible drive coupling, operating on the general principles of the Oldham coupling, in which all three elements of the coupling are of ring form so that the couplingas a whole may surround the reduction gearing and other elements of the transmission through which power is transmitted from a source of power to the part or parts to be driven.

Other objects, important features and advantages of the invention, to which reference has not specifically been made hereinabove, will appear hereinafter when the following description and claims are considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation partly broken away and partly in section, of a drum driving mechanism embodying the present invention and incorporated in a sedimentation apparatus or thickener such as more fully shown and described in the copending application of Roman Chelminski et al Serial No. 588,278, filed April 14, 1945;

Figure 2 is a View partly in section and partly in plan taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view in enlarged axial section of the drive mechanism including the flexible drive coupling shown centrally in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail of a portion of the structure shown in Figure 4, and

Figure 6` is a vertical section of the portion shown in Figure 5 taken on the line 6--6 of Figure 4. l

As more fully set forth in the co-pending application of Roman Chelminski et al. hereinabove identified, the invention is shown as embodied in and as particularly adaptable to the mechanism for transmitting driving power from a source of An apron 208,. depending from ring |52,l and; felt gaskets atitheperipheryl of frame Maori the. lower periphery or ring. 42a and on the upper periphery of ring |52: complete. the closure of the housing for the flexible drive coupling against dust, spray, etc..

Inthe operation of this drive `the torque ap` plied from the drive shaft |58 is, as above. suggested', divided equally by the differential on shaft |6 la and applied through two gear trains. to.' diametrically opposite points; of the gear ring 42a. The driving torque is transmitted through' the posts or shafts |-8|: and |84 andv the rollers |80: and rocker arms |82. tol the?` lugs |86 located` at diametrically oppositev points on the intermediate ring |16, thus electing rotation of the intermediate ring |16 and in turn transmitting torque through the posts |98 and |99 and' the rocker arms` |82 and rollers |80 on the upper side of the ring |16 to the lugs 200` I nojecting from diametrically opposite points on the underl side of the uppermost ring. |52 and effecting ro.- tation. of this ring.

The driving connections: between the flexibler drive.- coupling thus. far described and the drum 52a.. comprise an upward extension. of the drum above its supporting rollers 58, in which upward extension are formed vertical. slots providedwivith` bearing rails 48a, U-shaped in section, on whichanti-friction rollers |50 carried on stub shafts |I travel. The stub shafts |5| are fixed upon the uppermost ring |l52- of' the' above-described flexible drive coupling. From the foregoing description it will be seen, therefore, that thertorque:` transmitted from the1 ring. gear 42a.. through the intermediate coupling ring" |16 to the' uppermost ring |52' of the flexible drive coupling is tum transmitted through the stub shafts |5|=l and the rollers |501 to the druml 52al and thus to the rake or' scraper blade carrying armstnotshowmwhich are mounted upon the drum 52a'.A

From the drawings it will be noted that'- the posts |8| and |99 onV which the' rollers |80 of the respective rings-02dl and |16 are mounted are positioned to holdV the lugs |86 and 200'-,l respectively projecting from the under sideslv of the rings |16 and |52 against the rockers IIS-2 with'- out play, so as to avoid overrunning and impact which might overload the driving connections. It will further be observed that, as above pointed? out, the lugs |86l lie at opposite ends Ofone' diameter of the ring |16 and the lugs 200 at the opposite ends of a diameter of said ring |16 perpendicular thereto, when the rings are concentric, and that the rockers |82 and the rollers |80 are designed to allow movements of these lugs along but not away from their respective diameters. Thus any eccentricity between the drum 52a and the fixed path of the ring gear 42a is freely accommodated in the same manner in which eccentricity between the axes of driving and driven shafts may be accommodated by the familiar Oldham couplings, and without objectionable stresses on the parts concerned. Since any such eccentricity, so long as it may be present, will require constant readjustment of the relations of the three rings 42a, |16 and |52 during rotation, it is important to have good and adequately lubricated thrust bearing surfaces between the rings. This is provided for, as hereinabove pointed out, by providing the wells |90 and 204, for lubricating oil, into which project the bearing posts |92 and 208 and which have in their bottoms polished bearing plates |93 and 205.

As shown in Figure 4, each of the rockers |82 is provided with.' a` spring; 0; secured to a lug 2 |i2: on the rocker:

arm: on theA next ring. above. Thusl the spring 2 |'0 can always-restorethe rocker |82 to amidposition in respect to the mid-point of the drivingilug |8601 20.0:wh'enever it is relieved of load. The spring thusA resists any tendency of the rocker arm tofworl. over against onej side orl the other of the ring recess inA which it is located',l and since'the. spring is: held between the pins; 216

of lug.A |1865 it also tends: to positionV the lug |88` centrally in the recess |88, thereby tending to urge the. rings toward concentric positions. The curved' side walls ofA recess'` |88.` act as abutments to limit radial; movement of lug andthus limit` relativetransverse movement of the rings.

It should be noted that the section shownin Figure 41 is takenatV a higher level at the-left than at. the` right of.. this. figure, as indicated by- 4*-4 of Figure 3, and that thesection` of the rings 42d,` |=1.6` and |.52`and of thedrum 52a is taken at the upper branch of the .line'3--3 on Figure 4, whereasthe other' parts shown on Figure 3 are .sectional along the' lower branch ofthe line 3--3 on Figure 4.

It will also be noted that, for greater clarity of showing, the. section at the upper portion orl Figure Ltis taken at. a.I somewhat higher level than the section atthe lower portion of' this figure,` the.-

former passing. through that portion of lug |88 which carries thepns2 I'B, whereas atthe bottom of Figure. 4 the pins 2 I 6 (as also indicated by line 5-5f on Figure 6l) are shown in section below the levelf of thefpart in which; they are anchored.

WhatV is claimed as new is: Y 1. An annularY drive coupling. adapted to` accommodate substantialI eccentricity between a difivingr member and: a driven member, which comprises terminalrings, one connected. to said driving member and the other connected to saidV driven' member, and' an intermediate ring; one of` said terminalf` rings andthe intermediate ring each having flat-bottom Wells distributed about its circumference in one side thereof and paired i'ivo'te'd dogs` with rotatable faces lying close to opposite sides, respectively, of a single diameter on'- eac'h ring,4 theses on each. ring lying: along a diameter perpendicular tothat on the other ring; tl'ie other of saidi terminali ringsand the intermediate ring having bearing lugs projecting into said Wells with substantial clearance to accommodate, but to limit, lateral movement between said rings, and having driving lugs with faces lying, respectively, close to said diameter on each ring and projecting between said paired pivoted dogs.

2. An annular drive coupling adapted to accommodate substantial eccentricity between a driving member and a driven member which comprises terminal rings, one connected to said driving member and the other connected to said driven member, and an intermediate ring; each of said terminal rings and the intermediate ring having a plurality of cooperating abutments at a plurality of positions circumferentially distributed about each ring, the abutments on the facing sides of adjacent rings being at substantially the same circumferential position and those on one of said rings having radially spaced portions adapted to engage that on the facing ring with clearance to accommodate, but to limit, transverse relative movement, and interengaging dogs The actionof the. spring 2|0: is. restricted. between pins, 2:|f4,a1soy secured on the rocher, and pins 211,65 which are secured respectively in lug |86 and lugf 200. above each rocker 7. on said facing rings having their engaging faces lying substantially on an axial plane, whereby to accommodate transverse relative Vmovement while transmitting torque, those on one terminal ring and the intermediate ring lying'on 'one axial plane and those on the other terminal ring and the intermediate ring lying on the perpendicular axial plane.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a rotary carriage and a vertically movable support on which the carriage is rotatable about a fixed axis, of a motor and a torque-transmission connection between the motor and the carriage, said torque-transmission connection comprising an Oldham coupling including a drivingmember, a driven member and an intermediate member, each of saidmembers being transversely sldable and rotationally engaged with respect to its adjacent member, a vertical track element and cooperating rotatably mounted roller element at each of a plurality of points spaced around the periphery of said carriage and coupling, one of said elements being secured to said carriage and the other element being secured to the driven member of said coupling, whereby said carriage is rotatable by said driven member and is vertically movable with respect to said driven member during rotation.

4. The combination as dened in claim 3 in which the carriage comprises a central drum slotted at a plurality of places parallel to its rotational axis, each slot being of a Width adapted to receive one of the roller elements and the edges of said slots forming said track elements.

5. The combination as dened in claim 3 in which the torque-transmission connection comprises, in -addition to the Oldham coupling a reduction gear train interconnecting the motor and the driving member of said coupling.

6. The combination as defined in claim 5 in which the Oldham coupling is annular and its driving member is an internal ring gear coaxial with said iixed axis of the carriage, and the motor is mounted with its drive shaft also coaxial with said fixed axis and tandem' gear reduction trains interconnect said motor shaft,` and ring gear.

7. The combination asdened in claim 4 in which the drum is upright and rotatable about a vertical axis; the Oldham coupling is annular with a reduction gear train in the central space Within the coupling; the driving member of said coupling is an internal ring gear; and annular bearing on said support rotatably mounts the;

ring gear thereon to rotate on a xed axis; Vthe said driving member and intermediate memberA each havespaced fiat-bottom wells lled with lubricant in its upper face; the intermediate member and the driven member of said coupling, respectively, have bearing lugs projecting from the bottomA face of each and resting in said wells of the intermediate and driving members respectively, with clearance from the sides thereof tov accommodate, but to limit, movement relative to said'wells; each of said intermediate and driven members have driving lugs projecting from the bottom thereof with opposite faces of the lugs on each. member lying close to a single diameter thereof for driving engagement with the driven and intermediate members respectively; and the driving member and intermediate member, re-

spectively, of said coupling have secured on their upper sides paired pivoted dogs engaging opposite radial faces vof said driving lugs whereby to transmit driving torque while permitting substantiallyA free transverse movements within the limits prescribed by said wells, said paired pivoted dogs on the intermediate member of the coupling being on a diameter perpendicular to the di-` ameter of the driving lugs on the same driven member.

JOHN P. KOLB. x

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the' file of this patent: v

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

